Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Houston Southwest Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Arcola, Texas 77583
Sunday, March 18, 2012 17:38 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot-receiving-instruction was attempting to land the airplane in a right quartering crosswind, which was gusting to 15 knots. The pilot reported that an application of full left rudder along with right aileron input was required to maintain alignment with the runway centerline. During the landing flare, the airplane encountered a wind gust and drifted off the left side of the runway. He stated that his flight instructor assumed control of the airplane and attempted a go-around, but the airplane was unable to climb and subsequently landed in a ditch. The flight instructor reported that he assumed control of the airplane as it drifted off the runway, and the airplane had insufficient airspeed to establish a climb. He further noted that the pilot did not relinquish his left rudder input, and, because of this, in combination with the left-turning tendency experienced at takeoff power, he was unable to reestablish directional control before the airplane impacted a ditch. The flight instructor reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot did not maintain adequate crosswind correction during the landing flare and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/18/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1738 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Arcola |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 77583 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 293022N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0952837W |
| Event Location Airport | Houston Southwest Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KAXH |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 68 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1735 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KAXH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 68 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 20 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 130 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 15 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.98 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KAXH 182255Z AUTO 15011G17KT 10SM 23/20 A299 |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 29816 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Federal Aviation Administratio |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 16 2012 7:29PM |
| User who most recently changed record | snyg |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N56273 |
| NTSB Number | CEN12LA189 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28R-200 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28R-7335398 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2650 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 9 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 4487 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Dutch Wings, LLC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Arcola |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 77583-2637 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Dutch Wings, LLC. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Arcola |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 77583-2637 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | KAXH |
| Departure City | Houston |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1500 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | KAXH |
| Destination City | Houston |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 23 2012 3:57PM |
| User who most recently changed record | foxt |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 09 |
| Runway Length | 5003 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |